Electric control system



Oct. 16, 1945. s. wElss ELECTRIC CONTROL SYSTEM Original Filed Dec. 29, 1941 .R o Ww Q Q WM 6 a 6. 7 7 n 4. m w

Y ATTORNEYS l.

Patented Oct. 16, 1945 ELECTRIC CONTROL SYSTEM Samuel Weiss, Portland, Oreg.,

assigner to Vaughan Motor Company, Inc., Portland, Oreg.,

a corporation of Oregon Original application December 29, 1941, Serial No. 424,723. Divided and this application August 3, 1942, Serial No. 453,473

7 Claims.

This application is a divisional application, divided from my co-pending application, Serial No. 424,723, filed December 29, 1941, Patent Number 2,361,439, entitled Torque control switch.

This invention relates in general to automatic control devices for preventing the operation of motor-driven means beyond the point where too great a loador torque strain will result.

More specifically, this invention relates to an electric control system, the operation of which, for the purpose of shutting off the power to a power-driven device, will be regulated by the torque load imposed upon such device when the device is operated in one direction.

An important use for my invention has been found in the control required for the proper motor operation of valves, particularly valves of the gate valve type, and in my above mentioned co- Dending application, I have explained the purpose and mode of operation of my invention when used in connection with a gate valve employing an operating motor and requiring control means therefor.

'In such a gate valve, particularly a valve of the wedge-gate type, when the closing and opening of the valve is produced through the operation of an .electric motor, suiiicient force must be exerted by the motor, when closing the valve, to insure the complete and proper seating of the valve in the valve seat, and when this is properly accomplished, further operation of the Inotor should be immediately prevented, since such further operation would merely result in an undesirable torque strain on the operating mechanism. However, various conditions may effect the amount of power required for properly seat. ingthe valve, as well as the length of the period of `operation of the motor for this purpose; and, furthermore, it will be found that when a wedge-gate valve has been firmly seated in its valve seat, a considerably greater exertion of power is required at first in order to start to reopen the valve than is required in closing or seating it.

The I principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved electric control system adapted to be employed in combination with a torque control device such as that described in my said .co-pending application.

The nature and operation of my electric control system will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of the electric torque control device described in my said copending application;

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the switch unit;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic layout of the electric control system illustrating the various ele ments and circuits; and

Figure 4 is a side elevation of one of the pair of swinging brackets and associated Contact elements of my improved electric switch.

A reversible motor B is assumed to be employed for the operation of a transmission mechanism, for example such as that described in my above mentioned co-pending application, in which a bevel pinion i8, connected to the motor shaft, meshes with a bevel gear 2i) secured on a shaft 2|. A spur gear 25 is also secured to shaft 2l. A planetary gear 34, connected to the shaft to be driven by the transmission, meshes with a pair of planetary pinions 32 which in turn mesh with said spur gear. The planetary pinions are supported on stub shafts 33 having shouldered bushings 35 and mounted on a pinion-carrying member 21. Pinion-carrying member 21 is normally held against rotation by the rack or torque control member Si, and axial movement of the latter under the excessive torque load conditions described in my above mentioned co-pending control unit showing the same associated with the application operates the electric switch means designated in general by C. The transmission mechanism and switch are supported in a housing A.

The rack or torque control member 3| comprises a toothed body portion 49 and a stem 50 of smaller diameter, the end 5l of which is further reduced in diameter and is threaded. The opposite end of the body portion 49 is slidably journaled in a bearing 52 integral with the housing. The stem 50 is journaled in a hub 53, formed in the partition 54 of the housing, which partition divides the gear mechanism from the control switch. Suitable packing material 55 is disposed about the stem 50 within a recess in the hub 53 to prevent any lubricant from the gear mechanism leaking into the compartment containing the control switch. A Washer 56 holds the packing material 55 within the recess.

A compression spring 5l is carried on the stem 50 and is held under tension between washer 56 at one end and washer 58 at the other end. Lock nuts 59 hold the latter washer and provide the means for adjusting the tension of the spring 5l. A trip member 60 is also carried on the threaded end 5l of the stem 58 and is longitudinally adjustable thereon. The trip member 60 has a tripping arm 6| adapted to engage a slidable trip rod 62.

A pair of top and bottom plates 65 and 65' are spaced apart and secured together by posts 63, 64 and 61, and the top plate in turn is attached to the top of the housing A as shown iI1Fig.2.` Y

The trip rod |52 is supported in, and slides through, the posts 63 and 64. A lever 8D (Fig, 2), pivoted on a lug attached to the bottom plate 65', has its upper or long arm hingedly connected to the trip rod 62 and its lower or short arm hingedly connected to the movable'rcore of a solenoid coil 8|, which solenoid coil is also supthe same level as trip rod 62, is slidably supported in the post 6l extending between the plates 65 and 65. This second trip rod 19 is provided with a pair of set collars 32 and 8d located as shown' in Fig. 1. A spring 83,;,car-y ried on the trip rod 19, and held under tension betweenthe post 6,1 and the collar 8d, normally keeps the trip rod 19 in the position shown in Fig..,1-with the set collar 82 urged ragainst the post .BFL A lever A35, pivotally mounted on Va lug attached to the bottom plate 65', has its upper end connected to the trip rod ,'19 and carries a cam roller at its lower end.

A pair ofposts B8 and 68 (Fig. 1) of insulat- ,ingy material ,also extend between the plates 65 ,and 65,'. Twopairs of metal contact plates 69 and 68 are securedto each of theV insulating posts 68 and 68', respectively. Each contact plate 69v andn69' hasa terminal 'I0 or 10', to which a conductor wire is attached and a breakerpoint 1| orl 7|'. A contact bracket 12 is Vpivotally mounted between the top and bottom plates 6'5 and 65 and is connected by a snapover spring TI to the vtrip, rod 62. A second similar pivotally-i mounted contact bracket I3 is oppositely mountf ed between the plates 65 and 65', and is connected by a. snapover' spring l 'It to the second trip rodjIS. The two contact brackets are identical except that they are oppositely arranged, and .l

. anism'by means (notshown) so as to be rotated thereby. The portion 81 of the shaft which is located within the housing A, is threaded and a cam nut 90 is mounted thereon. The cam nut 9D is also slidable on a vertical guide rod 9| which serves to prevent the nut 90 from turning when the shaft 88 is rotated and thus the rotation of the shaft 88 produces up or down movement of theV cam nut 90 within the housing A. The purpose of the cam nut 90 is to engage the cam roller at the bottom of lever 35 and the device is so arranged that, when the transmission mechanism operates. in a direction opposite that indicated by the arrows in Figure 1 the shaft 88 will be rotated so as to move the cam nut 90 downi wardly until, when the transmission mechanism has operated a predetermined amount in said oppositedirection, the cam nut 90, by engaging the cam roller, will produce movement of the trip rod 'I9 against the tension of its spring 83, and result in the shutting off of the current to the motor preventing further operation of the motor in said opposite direction.

When the transmission mechanism is operating in thedirection indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, and an excessive torque load is imposed, this excessive torque will force the rack 3| to move to the left against the tension of spring 57, and this in turn will cause the tripping arm 6| to push trip rod 62 to the left. This movement of the trip rod 62 to the left will swing the lbracket '12, through the medium of the connecting spring TI, Aand break the connection between the pairs of contact points and contact elements 16, causing the circuit to the motor to kbe disconnected, through switch means to be indicated later, and consequently stops all further operation of the motor in that direction.

The electricalv switch connections, and the function and operation of the circuits, constituting part of the switch C, can best be explained from the wiring diagram of Figure 3. The reversible motor B is connected tothe power lines as, y, and a, by means of a magnetic switch 9B of conventional, well-known type, Awhich need not be described. A manual switch 93,Y connected to the power line z by therconductor 95, is provided for controlling the entire operation of the device, and the various elements, in general, are so arranged that closing the switch with the terminal Srl will produce operation of the motor in one direction while closing the Yswitch contact with the other terminal |06, will produce opera-` tion of the motor in theopposite direction, f

Let it be assumed that the trip r'od 62 is in its normal, or extreme right position, with the 'bracket l2 swung so as to close the contacts 1I, 16, and that it is now desired to operate the transmission mechanism in the Adirection indicated by thearrows in Figure 1 until excessive torque is encountered. The manual switch 93 is turned to close the contact to terminal |06.v Current then passes over the conductor |61, through one pair of breaker pointsr which are con nected by contact elements 16, thence 'over conductor |08, to the magnetic switch 98. This will throw the magnetic switch 98 into such a position that current will be permitted to pass to the motor B tooperate the motor in the desired ii--` rection. *A Y y Forconvenience, in Yorder to indicate at all times whenthe bracket '|2 is in closed position, I provide an electric signaldevice or indicator, for example, a small electric light bulb |04 connected to the conductor |05. Whenever the contacts 1|, T6, are closed, that is to say, whenever the trip rod 62 is in its normal position, the signal |64 will be energized. When the excessive torque load has resulted in the movementY of the trip rod 62, as previously described, causing the opening of the contacts 1|, 1s, the Vsignal meansv |04 will no longer be in operation,

When the torque load has caused such move. ment of the rack bar 3| and trip rod 62 to throw the bracket 12 into open position the current of conductor |08 is shut 01T, which causes the magnetic switch 98 in turn to shut off the current to the motor B. f'

From Figure 1 it will be apparent that the return of rack bar 3| to its normal position will not move the trip rod 62 and will not therefore swing the bracket 72 to closed position. When bracket '|2 has once been swung to open position it will not be closed until the motor is caused to operate in reverse direction. Now let it be assumed that the transmission mechanism is to be operated in the opposite direction. The switch 93 is moved to close the contact to terminal 94, whereupon current passes over conductor 96, through one pair of closed contacts 16', 1|', and over conductor 91 to the magnetic switch 98. This causes current to be permitted to pass to motor B to operate the motor in reverse direction. Simultaneously current from conductor 96 passes over the branch 99, through the second pair of contacts 16', 1|', through conductor |00, solenoid 8|, and conductor |02. The energizing of the solenoid 8| pulls the trip rod 62 back to its normal position, closing its control pairs of contacts 16, 1|, and the closing of one of these pairs of contacts causes the signal to be energized, as previously explained.

Operation of the motor in this reverse direction will continue to the full predetermined extent until the cam nut 90, by engaging the cam roller on the lever 85, temporarily forces trip rod 19 to the right, which results in the opening of the related pairs of contacts 16', 1| shutting oli' current over conductor 91, and causing the magnetic switch 98 again to shut oi current to the motor B. Although the trip rod 19 is now held in its extreme right position with the contacts 16', 1| open, the trip rod 62 remains in its normal position with its corresponding contacts 16, 1| closed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a power transmission mechanism including a reversible motor, an elec tric control system comprising a member associated with said mechanism, said member normally held in a given position but movable longitudinally in one direction out of such position whenever the torque load on said mechanism, when the mechanism is operated in one direction, exceeds a predetermined amount, adjustable spring means holding said member in normal position butadapted to permit longitudinal movement of said member in one direction under said excessive torque load, a pivotally-mounted contact bracket, a pair of stationary Contact points, an electrical conductor connected to each of said points, said bracket adapted when in closed position to connect said contact points, a snapover spring actuating said bracket, a slidable trip rod connected to said snapover spring, an engaging element carried by said member and adapted to engage said trip rod to cause said bracket to be swung to open position when said member is moved in one direction, said engaging element so arranged that said trip rod will not be engaged by said element and thus said bracket will not be swung to closed position by said member when said member returns to normal position, a manually-operated switch connecting one of said conductors to a source of electrical power, a magnetic switch connected with the other conductor, said magnetic switch connected to said motor, whereby thel closing of said manually-operated switch will cause said motor to operate in one direction so long as said bracket is in closed position and the development of excessive torque load by causing said member to be moved will cause said bracket to be swung into open position and prevent further operation of said motor in P that direction, even though said member returns to normal position, until said bracket is swung to closed positionl a solenoid adapd, when energized, to move said trip rod in the opposite direction and thereby cause said bracket to be returned to closed position, a second circuit from said manually-operated switch to said magnetic switch controlling said motor and adapted, when closed, to cause said motor to operate in opposite direction, a second pivotally-mounted contact bracket in said second circuit, mechanically-operated means for automatically moving said second contact bracket to open position when said transmission mechanism has operated a predetermined amount in the opposite direction, spring means for keeping said second contact bracket in closed position normally, said second circuit connected also to said solenoid, whereby when said first mentioned contact bracket has been swung to open position by excessive torque load it can not be swung back to closed position until said second circuit is closed to cause said motor and transmission to operate in the opposite direction.

2. In combination with a power transmission mechanism including a reversible motor, an electric control system comprising a member associated with said mechanism, said member normally held in a given position but movable longitudinally out of such position whenever the torque load on said mechanism exceeds a predetermined amount, means holding said member in normal position but adapted to permit longitudinal movement of said member under said excessive torque load, a pivotally-mounted contact bracket, an electrical circuit adapted, when closed, to cause the operation of said motor in one direction, said contact bracket acting as a switch element in said circuit, a manually-operated switch in said circuit, whereby said circuit will be closed when said manually operated switch is closed and said bracket is in closed position, a slidable trip rod connected to said bracket, an engaging element carried by said member and adapted to engage said trip rod to cause said bracket to be swung to open position when said member is moved in one direction, said engaging element so arranged that said trip rod will not be engaged by said element and thus said bracket will not be swung to closed position when said member returns to normal position, a solenoid adapted, when energized, to move said trip rod in the opposite direction and thereby cause said bracket to be returned to closed position, a second circuit from said manually-operated switch controlling said motor and adapted, when closed, to cause said motor to operate in opposite direction, a limit switch in said second circuit, mechanically-operated means for automatically opening said limit switch when said transmission mechanism has operated a predetermined amount Vin the opposite direction, spring means for keeping said limit switch closed normally, said second circuit connected also to said solenoid, whereby when said contact bracket has been swung to open position by excessive torque load it can not be swung back to closed position until said second circuit is closed to cause said motor and transmission to operate in the opposite direction, a signal light adapted to be lighted by said bracket whenever this bracket is in closed position, and with said contact bracket including an insulating block with a pair of connected contact elements resiliently mounted on said in sulating block.

3. In a power transmission mechanism including a reversible motor, a torque-control member associated with said mechanism and normally held in a given position by spring means but movable out of said position against the force of said spring means whenever the torque load on said mechanism resul-ting from the operation Vof the motor in one direction exceeds a predetermined amount, a contact bracket, an electrical circuit adapted, when closed, to cause the operation of said motor in one direction, said Contact bracket acting as a switch element in said circuit, a manually-operated switch in said circuit, whereby said circuit will be closed when said manuallyoperated switch is closed and said bracket is in closed position, means associated with said torque-control member and said bracket to cause said bracket to be swung to open position when said member is moved against the force of said spring means, means tending to hold said bracket in either open or closed position and so arranged that -said torque-control member will not cause said bracket vto swing back to` closed position when said member returns to normal position, a second electrical circuit adapted, when closed, to cause the operation vof said motor in the opposite direction, a manually operated switch in said sec'- ond circuit, a limit switch also acting as a switch elementV in said second circuit, spring means keeping said limit switch normally closed, mechanical means operating automatically to move said limit switch to open position temporarily when the running of said motor in said opposite direction has caused said transmission mechanism to be operated a predetermined amount, an automatic device for swingingv said first-mentioned Contact bracket lto closed position whenever said motor operates in said opposite direction, whereby excessive torque load when said motor is operating in one direction will causesaid rst-mentioned contact bracket to be swung to open position interrupting the Voperation of said motor and said first-mentioned contact bracket cannot be swung back to closed position until said second circuit is closed for operating said motor in the opposite direction.

, 4. In a power transmission mechanism including a Vreversible motor, a torque-control member associated with said mechanism and normally held in a given position by spring means but movable out of said position against the force of said spring means whenever the torque load on said mechanism resulting from the operation of the motor in one direction exceeds a predetermined amount, a contact bracket, an electrical circuit adapted, when closed, to cause the operation of said motor in one direction, said Contact bracket acting as a switch element in said circuit, a manually-operated switch in said circuit, whereby said circuit will be closed when said manuallyoperated switch is Yclosed and said bracket is in closed position, a slidable trip rod connected to said bracket, an engaging element carried by said torque-control member and adapted to engage said trip rod to cause said bracket to be swung to open position when ,said member is moved against the force of said spring means, means tending to hold said bracket in either open or closed position and said torque-control member and said trip rod and engaging element so arranged that said trip rod will notbe moved by the return of said member to normal position, a second electrical ill Lil

circuit adapted, when closed, to cause the'operain said opposite direction has caused said transmission mechanism to' be operated a predetermined amount, an automaticdevice for swinging `said inst-mentioned contact bracket to closed position'whenever said motor operates in said opposite direction, whereby excessive torque load whensaid motor is operating in one direction will cause said rst-mentioned contact bracket to be swung to open position interrupting the operation of saidY motor and said first-mentioned contact bracket cannot be swung back to closed position until said second circuit is closed for Operating saidmotor in the opposite direction,

5. In a power transmission mechanism including a reversible-motor, a torque-control member associated with said `mechanism and normally heldin a given position by spring means but movable out of said position againsttheY force of said spring means whenever the torque load on said mechanism resulting from the operation of the motor in one direction exceeds a predetermined amount, a, pivotally-mounted contact bracket, an electrical circuit adapted, when closed, Yto cause the operation of said motor in one direction, said contact bracket acting asa switch element in said circuit, a manually-operated switch in said circuit, wherebysaid circuit will be closed when said manually-operated .switch is closed and said bracket is in closedposition, a slidable trip rod connected to said snapover spring, an engaging element carried by said torque-control member and adapted to engage said Ytrip rod to cause said oracket to be swung to open position when said member is moved in one direction against the i'orce or" said spring means, said snapover spring tending to hold said bracket in either open or elo-sed position and said torque-control member and said trip rod and engaging element so Varranged that said trip rod will not be moved by the return of said member to normal position, a second electrical circuit adapted, when closed, to cause the operation of said motor in the opposite direction, a manually-operated switch in said second circuit, a second pivotally mounted contact bracket also acting as a switch element Vin said second circuit, spring means keeping said second contact bracket normally closed, mechanical means operating automatically to move said second contact bracket to open position temporarily when the running of said motor in said opposite direction has caused said transmission mechanism to be operated a predetermined amount, a solenoid in said second circuit, said solenoid adapted, when energized, to cause said trip rod to be returned to starting position and thereby swing said first-mentioned contact bracket to closed position whenever said motor operates in said opposite direction, whereby excessive torque load when said motor is operating in one direction will cause said rst-mentioned contact bracket to be swung to o-pen position interrupting the operation of said motor and said rst-mentioned contact bracket cannot be swung back to closed position until said second circuit is closed for operating said motor in the opposite direction.

6. In a power transmission mechanism including a reversible motor, a torque-control member associated with said mechanism and normally held in a given position by spring means but movable out of said position against the force of said spring means whenever the torque load on said mechanism resulting from the operation of the motor in one direction exceeds a predetermined amount, means preventing movement of said member when saidmotor is operating in the opposite direction, a contact bracket, an electrical circuit adapted, when closed, to cause the operation of said motor in said first-mentioned direction, said contact bracket acting as a switch element in said circuit, a manually-operated switch in said circuit, whereby said circuit will be closed when said manually-operated switch is closed and said bracket is in closed position, means associated with said torque-control member and said bracket to cause said bracket to be swung to open position when said member is moved against the force of said spring means in one direction, means tending to hold said bracket in either open or closed position and so arranged that said torque-control member will not cause said bracket to swing back to closed position when said member returns to normal position, a second electrical circuit adapted, when closed, to cause the operation of said motor in the opposite direction, a manually-operated switch in said second circuit, a limit switch also acting as a switch element in said second circuit, spring means keeping said limit switch normally closed, mechanical means operating automatically to move said limit switch to open position temporarily when the running of said motor in said opposite direction has caused said transmission mechanism to be operated a predetermined amount, a solenoid in said second circuit, said solenoid adapted, when energized, to Cause said rst-mentioned contact bracket to be swung to closed position, whereby excessive torque load when said motor is operating in said rst-mentioned direction will cause said rst-mentioned contact bracket to be swung to open position interrupting the operation of saidmotor and said rst-mentioned Contact bracket cannot be swung back to closed position until said second circuit is closed for operating said motor in the opposite direction, and whereby excessive torque load will not cause said sceond circuit to said motor to be interrupted when said motor is operating in the opposite direction.

'1. In a power transmission mechanism including a reversible motor, a torque-control member associated with said mechanism and normally held in a given position by spring means but movable out of said position against the force of said spring means whenever the torque load on said mechanism resulting from the operation of the motor in one direction exceeds a predetermined amount, a pivotally-mounted contact bracket, an electrical circuit adapted, when closed, to cause the operation of said motor in one direction, said contact bracket acting as a switch element in said circuit, a manually-operated switch in said circuit, whereby said circuit will be closed when said manually-operated switch is closed and said bracket is in closed position, a slidable trip rod connected to said snapover spring, an engaging element carried by said torque-control member and adapted to engage said trip rod to cause said bracket to be swung to open position when said member is moved in one direction against the force of said spring means, said snapover spring tending to hold said bracket in either open or closed position and said torque-control member and said trip rod and engaging element so arranged that said trip rod will not be moved by the return of said member to normal position, a second electrical circuit adapted, when closed, to cause the operation of said motor in the opposite direction, a manually-operated switch in said second circuit, a second pivotally mounted contact bracket also acting as a switch element in said second circuit, spring means keeping said second contact bracket normally closed, mechanical means operating automatically to move said second contact bracket to open position temporarily when the running of said motor in said opposite direction has caused said transmission mechanism to be operated a predetermined amount, a solenoid in said second circuit, said solenoid adapted, when energized, to cause said trip rod to be returned to starting position and thereby swing said nist-mentioned contact bracket to closed position, a signal light adapted to be lighted by said inst-mentioned contact bracket whenever this bracket is in closed position, whereby excessive torque load when said motor is operating in one direction will cause said iirst-mentioned contact bracket to be swung to open position interrupting the operation of said motor and said first-mentioned contact bracket cannot be swung back to closed position until said second circuit is closed for operating said motor in the opposite direction.

SAMUEL WEISS. 

